Process of preparing or treating cocoanut.



' ployed being about 220 FRANKLIN BAKER, J11,

SF PHILADEL'El-Il'ih, EIENDISZLVANIA.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN BAKER,

a citizen of the United States, residing 111 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented an Improved Process of Preparing or Treating Cocoanut, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the preparation, preservation and packing of. fresh cocoanut; that is to say, the meat or kernel of the fruit whereby it will keep in a natural moist and fresh state for a relatively indelinite length of time. My improved preserved product will have the same degree of moisture that is possessed by the green. fruit, and is available for use for the same purposes that the fresh green cocoanut is employed.

The essential object of my invention is to provide a preserved cocoanut product with nothing added; such preserved product having the original moisture and condition of fresh cocoanut, and the whole being shredded or grated and packed in cans, glasses or other suitable form of receptacles which hermetically sealed.

In carrying my process into effect, the kernel or meat of the cocoanut, after re* moval of the milk, is shredded or grated by any approved or well known means, and is then placed in the cans or other receptacles in which it is packed for sale and subsequent use. The cans or other receptacles in an open condition are then placed in a retort or steam chest into which steam is introduced and maintained under pressure; the open cans permitting the superheated steam to thoroughly permeate the cocoanut and the temperature at which this treatment takes place being sufficient to kill any bacteria present in the cocoanut. This temperature will vary, depending upon certain factors. In my work I have found that a temperature at or slightly in excess of 212 B. may be sufficient under some conditions. Generally speaking and for the meat of most v cocoa- 'nuts, the temperaturemay range from 215 F. to 225 11; the temperature usually enipossible to raise the temperature to 250 F, without injury to the cocoanut. The open cans with the contained coco-aunt are maintained at the desired temperature until the cocoanut has been thoroughly heated through and the bacteria thereof destroyed.

The usual period of time for this heat treatment of the open cans is approximately Specification of Letters Patent.

13., although it is hate/rated June 19, 191?.

Application filed June 17, 1816. filerial Flo. 194,210.

one-half hour, and in some instances it may be necessary or desirable to raise the term peraturein the steam pressure chamber to the higher point, approximately .250 R, for a short period of time, and this may be nec essary when treating some kinds of cocoanut in which the bacteria present can only be destroyed at the higher temperature. This higher temperature may he maintained for approximately five minutes, and may be included in. the total time allowed for heat treating the open cans.

The cans or other receptacles are then withdrawn from the pressure chamber and capped and hermetically sealed under sterile conditions, and then they may he again suhjcctod to a sterilizing ten'iperature which, for the desired purpose, may range as high as 250" 1 to kill any germs which. may have developed between the tre tment of the cocoanut in the open cans and the capping and sealing operation. After this the cans or receptacles are slowly cooled and they are then ready for market and subsequent use.

it will he understood,

meat or kernel of he cocoanut varies wi'hin certain limits. in the treatment of cocoanut for the purpose of preserving the same therefore, while all oi the bacterial content of certain cocoanuts may he killed at the lower temperatures, others may require the hi hei temperatures. in all instances, the iig'h temperature treatment is preferably for a shorter length of time than the treatment at the lhwer temperature, and sash high temperature treatment follows treatment at the lower tern peratures, so that the material can loe'raised to the higher temperature in a relatively snort period of time. in carrying out my improved method of procedure in the treatmerit of cocoanut, no harm to the product will result in the operation of. destroying the.

limiting my "in carrying out my improved process cm? for subsequent use as an article of 905m I claim:

1. The process of preserving cocoaiiut in a natural moist condition, which consists i cutting, grating, or shredding the kerneL packing the same in suitable receptacles, subjecting the open receptacles to stemtn, under pressure and. at e tenqocmture epproximating 220-F., to destroy bacteria present in the coooenut, hermetically sealing said receptacles,

then subjecting said m cocoamit in a natural moist condition, which consists 1n cutting, grating or shredding; the kernel, p; he in smtebie receptacles,

sucgecting the open receptacles to steam under pressure at a temperature not exceeding 250" F. to destroy bacteria present in cocozmut, hez meticaiiy seaiing said receptacles and maintaining them under sterilizing conditions, and then subjecting said sealed receptaeies for short period of time to a temperature not exceeding 250 FRANKLIN BAKER, JR. 

